European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 10, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes world wednesday february 10.1993 dutch parliament oks rules for mercy killing the Hague Netherlands a parliament voted tuesday to permit mercy killing under strict guidelines making this the first industrialized nation to Sanction voluntary euthanasia for the incurably ill. Euthanasia Long has been tolerated in the nether lands and Laws against it have come to be seen As a restraint rather than a. Prohibition. Tuesday s 91-45 vote in the lower House after years of debate gave the practice a degree of Legal Sanction. The measure docs not formally legalize euthanasia which is still punishable by up to 12 years in prison. In Stead it codifies existing medical guidelines approved by parliament As a defense against criminal liability for physicians who practice euthanasia. Doctors who follow the guidelines though they still would be violating the Law will be guaranteed immunity from prosecution. The Compromise Caps years of haggling Between euthanasia supporters seeking full legalization and the nation s conservative religious groups which oppose the practice. The guidelines still must be approved by parliament s upper House later this year and receive the Crown Seal both of which arc considered formalities. Courts almost always refrain from prosecuting Doc tors who adhere to the so called carefulness require a hints guidelines published by the Royal dutch medi Cal association. The guidelines stipulate that a request for euthanasia be made by the patient not by family or friends. The patient must be suffering unbearable and incurable pain re quest death repeatedly and be in a Clear state of mind. A second medical opinion must be obtained. Doctors must keep detailed accounts of every stage in their decision making process explaining Why they de cide to go through with euthanasia and How they carry it out then they must submit a report to the District Coro Ner s office. If a doctor s report shows the guidelines were followed without evidence of malpractice the Public prosecutor takes no action. In recent years several doctors have appeared in court on manslaughter charges in connection with assisting euthanasia. The last to be convicted was in 1974, however. The removal of life support systems in cases consid ered futile is an accepted practice in the Netherlands As in a number of . States and is not part of the current debate. Vietnamese president la due Ann left and French president Francois Mitterrand inspect an Honor guard tuesday during the French Lender s visit to Hanoi the first by a Western Leader since 1975. Mitterrand arrives in Vietnam to strengthen ties with sex Colony Bangkok Thailand a French president Francois Mitterrand arrived tuesday in Hanoi on the first visit to Vietnam by a Western head of state since the Southeast asian nation was unified in 1975. Mitterrand s motorcade travelled to the presidential Palace though streets decorated with French flags and crowded with Well wishers. At the Palace the French Leader and his entourage were greeted by president be due Anh reported the official voice of Vietnam radio. At the Palace decorated with banners and Flowers for the occasion the two presidents Shook hands As a military band played the French National Anthem the radio reported. Mitterrand 76, was accompanied by foreign min ister Roland Dumas and More than 200 French Busi Ness leaders and journalists on their four Day official visit to the former French colonies of Vietnam and Cambodia. Mitterrand s wife Danielle did not accompany him because of illness. During his stay in Vietnam Mitterrand was to visit the Battlefield of Dien Bien Phu where in 1954 More than 14,000 French soldiers were killed wounded or captured during a 55-Day siege by the vietnamese. The Battle sounded the death Knell for French colonialism in the Region. Despite the bitter colonial legacy economic and Cul Tural ties Between Vietnam and France run deep. Many older educated vietnamese speak French and France is a preferred destination for vietnamese studying abroad. According to a voice of Vietnam commentary the two nations have recently signed a number of important agreements including one to encourage and protect direct investment in Vietnam. France is the third biggest foreign investor in Vietnam the radio said. France normalized relations with Vietnam in 1989, ending a .-led Boycott imposed after the communist North took Over the South in 1975. France took the action after Vietnam withdrew its troops from Cambodia which it had invaded in 1978 to overthrow the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. The United states continues its economic embargo against Vietnam but France has prodded Washington to lift its ban and has tried against american opposition to ease the Way for Viet Nam to get much needed Aid from multilateral institutions such As the International monetary fund. The voice of Vietnam said Mitterrand s visit was a signal manifesting that at last the West has acknowledged Vietnam s open door policy1, the policy of Reno vation and its will to join the mainstream  roads May be privatized Drivers May face users fee from wire reports Bonn Germany Germany is considering privatizing its network of superhighways the chief government spokesman said tuesday. Spokesman Dieter Vogel told reporters that representatives of Chancellor Helmut Kohl s coalition headed by transport minister Giinther Krause have agreed on a proposal to privatize the country s approximately 6,820 Miles of autobahn. Also under consideration is imposition of a Highway users fee prior to the privatization process Vogel said. Details on the plans Are still being worked out and Are expected to be released next month Vogel said. Russian officer held in plot Moscow a russian army officer who allegedly plotted to assassinate president Boris n. Yeltsin was charged with desertion monday and left in police custody the prosecutor s office said. Alexander Zvyagintsev a spokesman for the prosecutor s office said the investigation into maj. Ivan Kislov s claims that he wanted to kill Yeltsin would take a Long time. Irish asked to shun Book Dublin Ireland a priest made a National Appeal monday for Irish readers to shun forbidden fruit an upcoming Book on the affair Between roman Catholic Bishop Eamonn Casey and the american woman who bore his son. The Rev. Dominic Johnson a Benedictine priest and Friend of the disgraced Bishop slammed the Book As one sided and the author a former priest As lacking Christian  Johnson urged the Irish Republic s 3.5 million citizens to become their own censors and to donate the Cost of the Book instead to Irish charities. The Book tells the Story of How Annie Murphy a Connecticut Divorcee bore a son to the former Bishop of Galway after a secret Romance. Casey resigned his Church Post in May 1992 after the affair and the existence of his son Peter Eamonn now 18 became Public. Arms sales trial Date set Venice Italy a court monday set March 15 for arguments in the trial of 40 people including former top officials of the Banca Nazionale Del Lavoro for alleged involvement in illegal arms sales to Iran news agencies reported. The trial officially opened nov. 30, but arguments have now been postponed twice while the court awaits the assignment of a new prosecutor in the Case. The defendants were indicted More than two years ago. The state Bank s Atlanta Branch was involved in a scandal Over $3 billion in unauthorized Loans to Iraq. Top management claimed it was unaware of the activities of its Atlanta office. Aborigines called abused Sydney Australia the australian criminal Justice system mistreat aborigines jailing them too frequently and in what May amount to cruel inhuman or degrading conditions amnesty International says. The net which drags so Many aboriginal people into the criminal Justice system simply must be removed As soon As possible said the London based human rights organization in a report received tuesday. Free aids tests available Tokyo a local prefectural government said tuesday it will give free aids tests to couples beginning on Valentine s Day As a Way to promote awareness about the deadly disease. The promotion by the government of Shitama prefecture just North of Tokyo is aimed mainly at younger people prefectural official . He said vouchers for free tests will be offered to the first 200 couples at All 24 prefectural Public health centers the vouchers will be valid for month beginning feb. 14. Yamada said the number of patients or carriers of the aids virus in Shitama increased by 22 from a year earlier to 39 As of last dec. 31. All but one of the newly discovered carriers were 29 years old or younger. In Japan an aids test costs about $13 per person at Public health centers